The Real Champion
by Gentle Yuki
Summary: They both reached for the cup but something startled Cedric when he felt the weight leave his arm. He blinked and Harry was gone. He looked around almost frantically, taking a few steps back. Where had Harry went? AU Future Slash Cedric Harry
1. The Real Champion

Date Started: 02-28-07  
Pairing: CedricxCho, CedricxHarry, Future HarryxCho and HarryxCedric  
Disclaimer: This was written for a challenge, I suppose. Besides... Cedric is dead and now Harry loves Malfoy just doesn't fit well in my opinion. The challenge was for - http://hp. - I'm basing Cedric's year... as his seventh. It's stated that Cedric's birthday was Sept or Oct of 1977. ( It's also stated that 1993 was his fifth year. To me that doesn't make sense. ) It's also been stated that student's that would have turned 11 before August 31 would recieve their letter. Cedric, being born in Sept or Oct wouldn't have gotten his letter until 1989, just before his 12 birthday. This would make the year 1993 the year that he became Quidditch captain and Seeker. In 1995, his sixth year, according to the way I see things, he was chosen for the Tri-Wizard Tournament, having turned 17 shortly after the begining of the school year.

c /c 

"Both of us."

"What?" Cedric raised a brow, not sure what Harry meant.

"We'll take it at the same time. It's still a Hogwarts victory. We'll tie for it." Harry said from his spot where he fell, nodding.

Cedric slowly unfolded his arms, gray eyes carefully sizing Harry up. He asked, "You - you sure?"

"Yeah. Yeah...we"ve helped each other out, haven't we? We both got here. Let's just take it together." Harry nodded again, his eyes drifting up from the goblet to Cedric's face.

The Hufflepuff seeker was giving a look of disbelief. After everything he'd heard, thought, every small little detail that he held that might have been true about the Harry Potter faded away in that very second. His eyes softened and he pushed some brown hair from his face.

"You're on," he said. "Come here."

He bent down, carefully reaching under Harry's arm and pulling the shorter boy up to full height, his arm slipping around the Gryffindor's thin waist. He felt Harry wince and waited a moment before helping Harry limp towards the plinth the Cup was resting on.

"On three, right?" Harry said as they both extended a hand to the cup. "One - two - three - "

They both reached for the cup but something startled Cedric when he felt the weight leave his arm. He blinked and Harry was gone. He looked around almost frantically, taking a few steps back and looking around. Where had Harry went?

Then it dawned on him. The cup had been a portkey. He'd been too slow. Only thing didn't make sense. Where was Harry?

Cedric gave another look around. "Harry!" he screamed but when he got no answer he lifted his wand straight into the air and sent up a bright red stream of sparks.

Within minutes he heard footsteps and he raised his wand defensively, causing the woman to jerk herself back a step, a hand clutching the front of her robes. "My word, Mister Diggory. Put that down."

Looking down, Cedric flushed, giving a weak grin and lowering his arms. "I'm sorry, Professor McGonagall."

She shook her head as if apology wasn't needed before stepping closer to the tall boy, lifting a hand to move some hair from her face as she looked around. "My... Where is Potter?"

"The cup was a portkey, I assume, Professor." Cedric had since moved his arms behind his back, standing very politely, watching the Professor's reaction.

Minerva looked worried for a moment before quickly gesturing for Cedric. He followed her out of the maze and looked around at the crowd who were all waiting eagerly. That was two contestants down in their eyes.

Cedric stood still, waiting as McGonagall had walked to speak with Dumbledore. Neither of them looked at anyone but each other for what seemed like hours.

Cedric could feel his blood going cold as he stood there. It was almost too unbearable when he heard a scream and looked up just in time to have a very ruffled looking Harry Potter fall infront of him amazingly on his feet. He would have applauded the boy's landing but instead found the boy tumbling forward against him, knocking him backwards in the process.

Harry looked significantly dirtier than he had been in the maze and he was clinging to Cedric in a way that made the older boy feel completely sure of the world. He faintly smelled of grass and a small hint of blood. Harry was shaking and Cedric did the first thing he could think of. He placed his arms around the smaller male.

Green eyes slowly lifted to meet gray from behind a pair of lenses. Cedric swallowed and leaned up closer, his head tilting as Harry's lips parted, dark lashes fluttering closed.

c /c 

Cedric woke from a start, his body broken out in a sweat, as his eyes looked around the dimly lit room. He was back home and everything was as normal as could be expected. He roughly pushed back his soft brown hair, taking a deep breath and throwing off his covers and standing to pace about his room. That was the tenth time he'd dreamt about that night in two weeks. Nothing had happened. Harry had fallen on him, yes, but nothing else. Harry was whisked away before...

No! He wasn't gay. He even had a girlfriend! Cedric grunted before noticing by the slight sting in his voice that proved he had done so vocally.

He began pacing again. Surely this year would be near impossible with these dreams. Especially seeing Harry, the boy who almost got killed. If only he would have touched the goblet in time... He might have been able to protect Harry.

He was so enthralled by his thoughts that he nearly tripped over his broom that had been resting against his trunk. He cursed silently and straightened himself, dusting off his clothes before heaving a heavy sigh. How was he supposed to concentrate on N.E.W.T.s with Harry Potter haunting his dreams and popping up everywhere once he got to school?

He moved over to look at a clock, staring up at it with a stern look as if daring it to lie to him before frowning. His Father would be up and getting ready any minute now so in all reality, he might as well just stay up and get ready for breakfast and his trip to the station. He searched his remaining clothes for something suitable, after all he would be changing on the train, but he did want to look nice for Cho.

Deciding on a button up gray and black striped shirt with a white one to go underneath and a pair of blue jeans that fit almost perfect had been one of the hardest things he though he'd ever had to do. He sighed and grabbed some underwear before slowly making his way from his room to the bathroom, reaching in to cut on the water so it would heat up while he undressed. He went about his daily ritual of shaving, brushing his teeth, checking his eyes for color change while the heat of the room grew around him, the mirror slowly fogging up while he leaned over the sink to look into it.

He headed for the water, stepping beneath the spray and wincing faintly at how hot the water was. He turned it down slightly before releasing a soft sigh, dipping his head backwards to let the water fall over his face and hair, a few rivlets making their way down his chest. He went about ritual there, washing his body and hair before letting himself drench beneath the cascade a little while longer, just letting the water wash away the remaining traces of his dreams.

He heard a knock on the door and jumped, blinking at the steam filled room when he heard his mother's voice call out, "Cedric, honey. Breakfast is ready."

A smile slowly spread over his lips as he cut off the water and stepped out of the shower to dry himself off and put on the outfit he'd picked for today. He looked himself in the mirror but could only see a blurry half of himself, but he felt satisfied anyway.

When he went downstairs, he slid into his chair and smiled at his father who smiled back at him. "My son... the real champion. Horrible Potter boy for taking that Cup from you. You'll beat him good this year, I'm sure."

Cedric's smile faulted slightly until his mother sat down, wiping her hands. "I actually cooked today. I feel very accomplished. Now I want both of my men to eat fully."

The family ate quietly and none bothered to speak until they had finished and Cedric's mother was cleaning up the dishes. "Let me help, Ma." He gave his best charming smile as he stood but his mother ushered him back into his seat.

"No, no. Not so close to your birthday. You won't be home for it. You'll at least relax for the rest of the day." She smiled warmly at her son before finishing up.

Amos raised a brow before picking his paper back up and flipping to where he had been reading before hand. "Well... I believe I should be going." He closed the paper within minutes and Cedric idly wondered if his father had even been reading at all.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small golden, velvet pouch and setting it on the table. "By yourself a new broom in Diagon Alley before you go to Cross Station." His father gave a proud grin, which Cedric returned, before moving out of the room, his wife following.

Cedric picked up the pouch, tossing it once and grinning. He wouldn't have much time but after his mother finished the dishes and finished readying herself, they would have plenty of time since they normally waited about the house for at least an hour before leaving.

----

If I get enough reviews... I'll say...three ( I'm not hard to please )... then I'll continue this. If not... then hey... it could kind of stand on it's own.


	2. The Hogwarts Express

Date Started: 02-28-07  
Pairing: CedricxCho, CedricxHarry, HarryxCho, Future HarryxCedric  
Disclaimer: This was written for a challenge, I suppose. Besides... Cedric is dead and now Harry loves Malfoy just doesn't fit well in my opinion. Cedric living through it is something I don't think I've ever seen... The challenge was for - http://hp. - I'm basing Cedric's year... as his seventh. It's stated that Cedric's birthday was Sept or Oct of 1977. ( It's also stated that 1993 was his fifth year. To me that doesn't make sense. ) It's also been stated that student's that would have turned 11 before August 31 would recieve their letter. Cedric, being born in Sept or Oct wouldn't have gotten his letter until 1989, just before his 12 birthday. This would make the year 1993 the year that he became Quidditch captain and Seeker. In 1995, his sixth year, according to the way I see things, he was chosen for the Tri-Wizard Tournament, having turned 17 shortly after the begining of the school year.

I got three reviews... now... as promised... a new chapter in the life of Cedric? XD I'll probably follow OotP somewhat closely... but not exact... You know all that good stuff.

Both boys stood panting. Harry certainly looked a little worse for wear after nearly being hit by that curse. Cedric came closer and nudged Viktor with his foot.

"Should we leave him here?"

"No. I reckon we should send up red sparks. Someone'll come and collect him... otherwise he'll probably be eaten by a skrewt." Harry muttered with a frown.

"He'd deserve it." Cedric said but raised his wand and sent up a streak of red sparks, marking the body.

"Well...," Cedric added a moment later. "I s'pose we'd better go on..."

"What?" Harry asked, looking puzzled for a moment before nodding once. "Oh yeah... right.."

They both looked at each other, both panting from the incident, gray meeting green for a fleeting moment before they both took off running. Following the path laid out infront of them. Harry was about to turn down another corner when Cedric grabbed the red and black fabric of his shirt, jerking the smaller boy back then shoving him as gently as possible against the closest hedge.

It only took the taller boy a second to bend down and kiss the boy wonder. Harry tensed faintly but eagerly returned the kiss within a split second. Small hands found the way to the hem of Cedric's shirt and he squirmed faintly, creating a friction against Harry's body which made the both of them shiver.

Cedric pulled back faintly, catching his breath as Harry grinned and fixed his glasses. He returned the happy smile before moving his hands from behind Harry and sliding them down to rest closer to his hips. Harry's squirming was making it extremely hard for Cedric to concentrate on anything but the feeling of the warm body against his. He ducked his head to Harry's neck and began kissing the area, causing the smaller boy to shiver and breathlessly call his name.

Cedric couldn't have stopped if he had wanted to and let his hands push up Harry's shirt while Harry lightly clung to his own. He felt the warm skin beneath and began to lightly nip, lick and suck whatever skin had been closest to his mouth in the given second, basking lovingly in all the small gasps and moans he was producing from the boy who lived. His hips gave a small buck against Harry's squirming body in an effort to make him stop before either of them were driven to insanity.

"Cedric!"

"Cedric!"

The quidditch captian sat up with a start, panting faintly and looking around at his compartment mates. He ignored all the concerned faces and looked out the window past his reflection to see the quickly passing trees and various scenery. He was just on the train. He'd just fallen asleep. Nothing happened.

He wiped his brow to find that he had been sweating. He frowned and slowly wiped his hand off on his pants and took slow deep breaths.

"Are you okay, mate? You was groaning... Did you have a nightmare or something...?"

Cedric looked up at his friend, Zacharias, and offered a weak smile. "Yeah... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you..."

Zacharias smiled and shrugged. "No worries, mate. Just thought I'd wake you up before you had a seizure or something. It's about time to get changed. Besides... you didn't tell me how the prefects meeting went."

Cedric grinned and shrugged before standing to get into his trunk to take out his clothes. "It was boring... completely pointless..."

The Smith boy gained a sly grin before waving his hand. "Did you get it?"

Cedric looked lot for a second before pulling out his badge and proudly handing it to the other boy. "Yep."

Zacharias admired the small token which proved Cedric's Hogwarts status. He sighed softly while Cedric had slipped from the compartment to change. When the boy returned he found the blonde still playing with it and shook his head.

"Come on... let's find Cho. She'll be glad to hear I made it."

Zacharias nodded and followed Cedric.

Cedric wandering along the length of the train. Cho was no where in sight so far. He assumed her to be with Marrietta. He slid open compartment doors, smiling and saying sorry when she wasn't found. She couldn't have gotten too far. It was a train.

Sliding open another compartment door his eyes instantly went to a head of black hair that turned up to look at him. Green met gray and for a second Cedric forgot that he was supposed to breath. Zacharias nudged him from behind and he gave his usual charming smile.

"Hi, Harry."

Harry smiled and nodded to the older boy. "Hey."

Cedric nodded back and looked around at the other occupants of the compartment. Ah... Luna. "Hello, Luna. Have you seen Cho around?"

Luna looked up slowly from her upside down magazine and nodded once. "She stopped by not too long ago. I think she went that way." The girl pointed to the direction that Cedric had just came.

He smiled charmingly though and nodding. "Thanks." He closed the door and sighed, walking along to check the rest. Zacharias just laughed.

Ron snorted and sharply elbowed Hermione, who had taken to oogling the new Head Boy. "Bloody Hell, Hermione..."

She roughly shoved Ron against the seat, who muttered a soft 'ow'.

"You should have more respect for him, Ron. He's Head Boy this year. Weren't you paying even a little bit of attention at the Prefects meeting?"

Ron looked a little sheepish and Hermione had all the answer she needed.

Cedric eventually found Cho sitting with a compartment full of giggling girls. He smiled weakly when she agreed to come to his compartment with him. Zacharias had decided that it was a fine time to meet and greet with some of the more lovely Ravenclaw girls and stayed behind.

Cho slipped her hand into Cedric's as they walked and moved slightly closer so that her head could fall against his shoulder. "I missed you."

He could feel her hair fall down and over his back and smiled contently, giving her hand a small squeeze. "I missed you, too. You didn't write much... was your summer busy?"

"I had a lot of things on my mind. Everything was happening after the tournament last year. It's rather frightening to think that he's back. I'm not so sure that I believe Harry..."

"I do..." Cedric said without thinking and Cho looked up at him questioningly but didn't say anything after that until they made it back to his compartment.

She sat across from him instead of beside, and Cedric found that a little odd but didn't question things. He brushed some brown hair from his eyes, thinking for a moment that maybe he should have gotten a haircut before coming to school.

He watched Cho in silence for a moment. He could tell something had changed in his girlfriend but he couldn't put his finger on it. It tugged sharply at his heart and he didn't want to dwell on it so when she leaned forward her arms resting on her knees he mimicked her so that they were leaning quite close.

She smiled and lifted a hand, gently moving her fingers over his cheek. Cedric smiled weakly, bowing his head slightly. Something wasn't right but he wouldn't dare ask her. He moved a hand to take hold of her's again, giving it a small squeeze, closing his eyes as he bent his head to rest against hers. It wasn't possible that she could tell...

---

Yay... reviews. XD Same goes for the last chapter. Even if it's the same three people... I don't care... but I won't take time and effort to post something if no one is reading it.

You people must really liked this. XD I honestly didn't think people would. Yay. I'm a happy writer.


	3. Trip to the Infirmary

Date Started: 03-12-07  
Pairing: CedricxCho, CedricxHarry, HarryxCho, HarryxCedric  
Disclaimer: This was written for a challenge, I suppose. Besides... Cedric is dead and now Harry loves Malfoy just doesn't fit well in my opinion. Cedric living through it is something I don't think I've ever seen... The challenge was for - http://hp. - I'm basing Cedric's year... as his seventh. It's stated that Cedric's birthday was Sept or Oct of 1977. ( It's also stated that 1993 was his fifth year. To me that doesn't make sense. ) It's also been stated that student's that would have turned 11 before August 31 would recieve their letter. Cedric, being born in Sept or Oct wouldn't have gotten his letter until 1989, just before his 12 birthday. This would make the year 1993 the year that he became Quidditch captain and Seeker. In 1995, his sixth year, according to the way I see things, he was chosen for the Tri-Wizard Tournament, having turned 17 shortly after the begining of the school year.

---

" i Diffundo /i !"

Cedric heard the rip on his bag and frowned faintly before hearing the crash of his books and parchment and the distinct shatter of his bottles of ink. "Don't bother," He said as he waved his friends off when they leaned down to help him, "tell Flitwick I'm coming, go on."

He heard a rustle and looked up faintly to see none other than Harry Potter coming down the corridor. He gave a weak smile while holding up a piece of parchment to let some ink drip from it.

"Hi," he said, picking up one of his books. "My bag just split... brand-new and all..."

"Cedric, the firest task is dragons," Harry said quickly.

"What?" Cedric looked up from his collecting of quills.

"Dragons," Harry said, talking fast, "they've got four, one for each of us, and we've got to get past them."

They stood in silence for a few seconds before the sheer panic of having to face a dragon flashed over his face.

"Are you sure?" He asked in a hushed tone.

"Dead sure." Harry nodded once. "I've seen them."

"But how did you find out? We're not supposed to know..."

"Nevermind." Harry cut him off, shaking his head. "But I'm not ythe ponly one who knows. Fleur and Krum will know by now - Maxime and Karkaroff both saw the dragons too."

Cedric adjusted his arm load, succeeding in dropping a quill, looking positively puzzled. Harry wasn't sounding like someone in a competition.

"Why are you telling me?"

Now Harry was staring at him like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Cedric felt even more torn about it.

"It's just... fair isn't it?" Harry said, looking around slowly. "We all know now... we're on even fooiting, aren't we?" He looked up slowly, and Cedric couldn't deny the slight tint worry brought to the younger boy's face.

"I see..." He gave his best charming smile and nodded. "You'd make a fine Hufflepuff, Harry."

The boy grinned and shook his head. "I just don't know what I'd do if I know you got hurt because I didn't tell you...besides I really l-"

An odd clanking seemed to break the boy's train of thought and Cedric smiled weakly at the upcoming professor, nodding to his armfull of things and adjusting the strap of his ripped bag on his shoulder.

"Come with me, Potter." Moody spoke before looking Cedric up and down. "Diggory, off you go."

Cedric nodded again before smiling at Harry who happily smiled back before turning to follow the professor with a small wave of his hand. Cedric returned the gesture and moved further down the corridor to his charms lesson.

Cedric frowned, staring outside the window. The day wasn't particularly sunny or even a good day to watch outside for the first few rain drops to hit the glass. It was almost foggy and increasingly depressing. All the Captain could do was sigh and wish it would be over already.

"Mr. Diggory... Are you feeling alright?"

The boy jerked his head to the professor, a few girls sitting behind him giggling. They must have known that he was staring gloomily out the window.

"I just have a horrible headache... I'm terribly sorry, Professor."

"Well... here. Let me write you a pass to head to the infirmary. They'll get you fixed right up."

Cedric nodded and slowly stood, pushing his book and parchment into his bag, grabbing his quill before slowly leaving the classroom. Perhaps that was one of the perks of being Head Boy. He slowly entered the infirmary and saw Harry sitting boredly on one of the beds.

"Hi, Harry... what are you doing in here...?" He asked, moving to sit on one of the beds beside the boy,

"Oh... Hi, Cedric." Harry gave a quick smile and moved to hide his hand from view. "Just getting something checked out. What about you?"

"Ah... told Professor Flitwick that I had a headache... He sent me here to get something for it."

"A headache?" Harry seemed to frown.

Cedric just gave a charming smile and Harry was reminded of that first morning when Cedric almost landed on him. "I suppose being Head Boy makes people think that you're never going to lie about something like that... I was in all reality just staring out the window... the lesson was incredibly boring..."

"Excuse me, Mr. Diggory?" Madam Pomfry raised a brow as she stepped over and rubbed something onto the back of Harry's hand.

Cedric looked incredibly meek and Harry doubted that he'd ever see the older boy give that expression. The last time that happened was when Cedric had caught the snitch and Harry fell from his broom.

The nurse shook her head but didn't seem too upset over it. Harry doubted that it was the kind of thing that Cedric did often.

Harry smiled and thanked her before hopping down from the bed and looking back at Cedric before leaving the room. Cedric gave a smile before standing. "May I leave, ma'am?"

"Of course." She gave the boy a nod. "I just don't expect this to be a regular thing. No matter how much I don't mind seeing your face."

Cedric nodded and headed out of the room, spotting Harry walking down the corridor and quickening his pace to catch up to him. "Hey, Harry..."

Harry looked to the side, giving a small smile. To say he felt awkward was an understatement. This was the guy that got to the girl he wanted to take to the ball last year. "Hi, Cedric."

Cedric didn't seem to notice and instead gave another charming smile. That smile could break a hundred hearts in one go. The boy shouldn't really hand it out so easily. "Where are you going?"

Harry raised a brow but didn't think too much on the offer. He could say Cedric was a friend, he guessed. After all they had helped each other through the tournament last year. "To the dormitory... I doubt they expect me back in class."

"Wanna go for a walk? I know a nice little place on the other side of the castle. It's near the Hufflepuff common. On that end."

Harry felt an odd sensation that led him to believe that his stomach was now a breeding ground for hundreds of birds. "Uhm... sure."

Cedric smiled that smile again that made the birds in Harry's stomach seem to kick into overdrive. "Great. Come on."

Harry looked down when he thought that Cedric was going to grab his hand but assumed that he had been imagining things. He shook his head and followed the taller boy along.

"So what happened to your hand? Did you spill potion on it?" Cedric asked airly.

Harry frowned before looking down at the back of his hand. "Ah... just started bleeding. I... cut it yesterday. Nothing serious, though."

Cedric frowned before nodding once. "The school was talking about you. Getting in trouble this early in the year."

Harry almost pouted. Cedric found it adorable.

"What did you do anyway?"

"I sort of... yelled at the teacher..."

Cedric wanted to laugh but didn't since he saw how glum Harry looked. "Which one?"

"Umbridge."

"Oh, no wonder. She's a little mad in my opinion."

Harry looked up at Cedric and smiled. Cedric decided that it was much nicer to see Harry smile than frown.

---

Same goes. Three reviews and I'll post the next chapter when it's finished. Glad to see some people like it.


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